Scientists say they have calculated the date at which the African and the Asian elephant went their separate ways The two elephant species diverged from a common ancestor some 7.6 million years ago They came to their conclusion after comparing a genetic analysis of the two species with material derived from the extinct woolly mammoth and mastodon.
"The cool thing about the mastodon is that we know pretty exactly from the fossil record when it diverged from the elephant and the mammoth," said Dr Michael Hofreiter of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, one of the lead researchers. "That took place in Africa in the same place where humans, chimps and gorillas diverged." |
Friday, 27 July 2007
Evolution unfurls?
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Another ill thought through piece of nonesense.
Their solution, made beer unaffordable for a small band of heroes who just want to live out their lives in quiet.
Will they put more into their pensions to pay for this arrogant stupidity? Not bloody likely.
The report says making alcohol less affordable is one way of trying to tackle the problem.
"The pleasure alcohol brings has to be balanced against the harms," said Professor Sir Michael Marmot, of University College London and one of those involved in the report. A spokesman for the Treasury said Chancellor Gordon Brown "takes a wide range of factors into consideration" when he decides alcohol tax rates. | |||||
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
More evidence of double standards towards Service families?
Hi Everyone,
I would be grateful if you would please sign up to the petition link below and then forward it to all your contacts: -
This is to support a small SSAFA run family accommodation unit next to the Military Hospital at Headley Court. Headley Court provides rehabilitation to our service personnel.
SSAFA wish to buy (and put in disabled access) a large house in the village of Ashtead to allow a maximum of 6 family members to be accommodated close to their injured loved ones to help overcome the trauma caused by injuries sustained during current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The residents of Ashtead have issued a torrent of frankly disgusting and spurious letters of objection to this plan (such as hygiene and noise pollution). Not in my back yard!!
They are currently in danger of getting SSAFA's plan rejected.
People are desperately needed to sign this petition, and if time permits, to write letters of support to Mole Valley council.
It only takes 5 mins to sign up and could make a massive difference to those families that have to endure the anxiety and trauma of supporting their relatives through the long process of physical rehabilitation and PTSD.
Please pass to all your contacts. Thank you.
As ever,
Trevor
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Headley/
the letter reads:
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen
The notice below from Trevor Philpott spells out clearly a problem that SSAFA is having in trying to gain planning permission to buy and convert a building for families to use whilst their loved ones recover from traumatic injuries at Headly Court. Locals are objecting.
I do not normally pass on these because our charter does not allow the RMA to enter into political activity. However this is different and is a genuine effort to improve the lot of injured servicemen/women and their families - clearly that includes the Corps Family.
If you do not approve of petitions then please do not read on - if you are interested then I invite you to read Trevor's words and act on the link he has given us.
As ever
(signature deleted)
Having been accused of politicization and castigated for efforts to assist former Servicemen’s Families, I am more than happy that Central Office has finally realized that certain matters are above political niceties. Afterall, if the Royal Marine Association carries the title CHARITY it has a duty to politicize the plight of the sick, homeless and downtrodden former Service Personnel? If not, remove the charitable label and become a drinking club!!!
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Saturday, 28 April 2007
The day the Navy died.

The Navy waste Billions on state of the art Frigates and man them with...???
To illustrate opinion of the quality of todays MOD Nelsons we have submitted this design for the next line of warships. It will be ideal for patrolling Offah's Dyke for when that alien nation gets independence. Major Julian Thompson Royal Marines awarded me £5.00 and I was classed unfit ships. That's because I got well relaxed and refused to give some lame excuse to a stranger -all-be-he an officer, as to why a disgruntled man got shitfaced. For the next twenty plus years I never once charged a man with being drunk who was off duty at the time and recovered sufficiently t be sober on parade.
Compare that to HMS Cornwall, HMS Nottingham... Unfit NAVY????
Perhaps they should have given Cornwall's boat crews grog instead of potato guns and blue liners - navy issue fags- when doing patrols. And those whalers appear to be a touch narrow in the beam for the fat arses on board! No doubt the modern sailor does not partake of the traditional whaler races that ensured fitness and teamwork? Hence no Gun Crews. They definitely have no need for them when supporting the members away from the ship.

You can see from above that Cornwall's gun crews were 'stood to'!!!
PS. Mr Blair, the Minister of Defence and the Labour Party, just what are you adding to five hundred years of Naval Tradition? A two handed salute?
Have you no idea of the shame that you bring on a once proud Service? Nelson was armless and minus an eye. His successors appear spineless, clueless and totally lacking moral fibre. If recruitment is so bad that you have to ignore standards then have the courage to tell the backslapping morons at Westminster precisely that. So what if you loose a little bit of your pensions. You'll appreciate what damage the 1973 Social Security and Pensions Act did for the ordinary servicemen.
Saturday, 21 April 2007
Royal Marines, Civilians and the snivelling sh*ts who have all the answers
I received this as an email several years ago and it still has relevance:
Jill Edwards is a junior math major at the
In brief, Edwards, a member of the UW student senate, opposed a memorial to UW grad "Pappy" Boyington. Boyington was a U.S. Marine aviator who earned the Medal of Honor in World War II. Edwards said that she didn't think it was appropriate to honor a person who killed other people. She also said that a member of the Marine Corps was NOT an example of the sort of person the
Gen. Dula's letter to the
To: Edwards, Jill (student, UW)
Subj: Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs
read more
and hopefully understand
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Sunset on Brittania
With the tragedy of oncoming events rapidly unfolding, it will be said that this is not the time to raise delicate matters. When is the right time? Later, when those wonderful defenders of democracy can ignore every sensible syllable uttered?
Admiral Sir
And where is the BBC film of the incident? Was the BBC crew on board the chopper or with the parties on the boats? It has been two days and no-one is asking these questions. It has been two days and not a single government spokesman has made a rational appearance within the media.
And what is a female doing in the party? According to one of the last party to be taken into custody in
An oppo of mine recently finished 22years in the Andrew and was muting his intention of going back in. He committed suicide instead. Another desperate soul that the politicians ignored and Navy failed to monitor.
The picture above is the Cornwall in sunset. Say No More!!!